Elevator-boot.



PATENTEDVDBC. 31, 1907.

0.BRADP0RD.- ELEVATOR BOOT.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.11, 1905.

ANT

; OHESTER BRADFORD, 0F INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

ELEVATOR-BOOT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 31, 1907.

Application filed September ll, 1905. Serial No. 277.949.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHEsTER BRADFORD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Elevator-Boots, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my present invention is to provide an improved form of boot, or lower end for elevators, especially that variety used for elevating grain and I have shown it of a form particularly adapted to be embodied in thatvariety of elevators which are used as attachments to threshing machines, such as are shown (for example) in my Letters Patent No. 782,642, dated February 14, 1905.

Elevators of the varietyT in question are generally designed to be used upon any of the numerous different makes of threshing machines. Upon some `such threshing machines the elevator must be attached to the right hand side, and upon others to the left hand side. It is, therefore, desirable that such elevators shall be so constructed that they may be conveniently attached to either side of the threshing machine at will, in order that any elevator may be used with any threshing machine. It should, therefore, -be made so that the boot (which is the part with. which the grain outlet of the threshing machine immediately communicates) is capable of being turned so as to present its inlet side in either direction. This could be done with the construction illustrated in my said Patent No. 782,642; but, in the construction illustrated in said patent, the arrangement was such that the lower sprocket or chain carrying wheel had to be turned with the boot, and this necessitated the uncoupling and re-coupling of the elevator chain, and its consequent readjustment which is a work of considerable difficulty, and one which takes considerable time. My present boot overcomes these difliculties, and is also lighter in construction, and has means whereby access can be had to the bearings with greater facility. It is also capable of being fitted and assembled with very little labor, and is very strong and efficient When finished.

The accompanying drawings illustrate a boot embodying my said invention, and designed for use with an elevator of the variety in question.

Figure 1 is an elevation of the front side of such a boot, with fragments of the elevator tubes attached thereto, thus showing said boot completely assembled and in position for use Fig. 2 an elevation of the rear side of the same; Fig. 3 a longitudinal central vertical sectional View, as seen when looking in the direction indicated by the arrows from the dotted lines 3 3 in Figs. 4 and 5, one fragment of conveyer tube, however, being removed; Fig. 4 a transverse vertical Sectional view as seen when looking in the direction indicated by the arrows from the dotted lines 4 4 in Figs. l and 2; Fig. 5 an edge elevation of said boot, as seen when looking in the direction indicated by the arrows from the dotted lines 5 5 alongside of Figs 1 and 2; Fig. 6 a top or plan View, as seen when looking downwardly from the dotted lines 6 6 in Fig. 1, the left hand fragment of 'elevator tube being removed, however, as in Fig. 3; Fig. 7 a fragmentary sectional View (on an enlarged scale) similar to a portion of Fig. 4 but with the hand hole cover tipped to the position it occupies when being removed or inserted, just as the removal is beginning or as the 'insertion is nearly completed, and Fig. 8 a view similar to Fig. 1 but with the outer shell or boot proper removed. i

'The elevator legs or conveyer tubes 21 and 22 are, or inay be, of any usual form. Like those of my said patent No. 782,642, they are preferably providedv with rings 24 and 25 having suitable ears to receive bolts by means of which the boot structure may be connected to said legs. By a slight modification in form, however, the rings might be made in. piece with and so as to practically form fianges upon the sides of the elevator boot, and thus be connected directly to the legs of the elevator by bolts passing through said parts, but this is aless desirable although somewhat cheaper construction, and I do not prefer it.

To the inner sides of the elevator legs I connect a member 31 which is so formed. as to extend about half way around said legs, and has down-turned flanges 32 and (see especially Figs. 3 and 8) which form portions of the terminals of said elevator legs, as will be presently more fully described. Said member is connected to the rings 24 and 25 by bolts 41. It both forms the top plate of the elevator boot proper, and also a support for the shaft-bearing for the shaft of the elevator chain wheel, which support is connected thereto by means of a bolt 42, and which is entirely free from any connection with any other part of the elevator boot, which is thus free to be attached and removed entirely independently thereof.

The elevator bootv proper is composed of two approximately semicircular members 51 and 52; an intermediate strip 53, and a hand hole cover 54. The parts 51, 52 and 53 are united by means of bolts 55 which draw the said parts 51 and 52 firmly against the edges of said part 53--said edges being preferably seated 'in grooves formed to receive them in the adjacent edges of said parts 51 and 52, as best shown in Fig. 4. This structure, when assembled, is connected to the elevator legs by means of bolts 43, which, in the preferred construction, pass through ears on the parts 51 and 52 and corresponding ears on the rings 24 and 25; but, when said rings are formed integrally with said parts, they will pass horizontally through the sides of the elevator legs and said rings or ears thereon. The part 51 is formed to embody a hand hole. This receives the hand hole cover 54, as best shown in Figs. l, 3 4, and. 7. This cover is in the form of la plate, preferably of sheet metal, and is engagedbetween a series of staggered flanges formed on the adjacent edges of the part 51. I have shown two of these flanges on the outside and two on the inside. Referring especially to Fig. 1. The upper fiangef extends entirely across the top and down each side to nearly where the curved formation begins. The lower flangef/ occupies approximately one-third the formation of the peripheral distance. The two other flanges f 2 -and fa (see especially Fig. 2, and dotted lines in Fig. 1) occupy nearly the remainder of the peripheral distance, or, in other words, occupy substantially the space between the flanges f and f'. Behind the upper flangef are stops s (see Figs. 4 and 7, and dotted .lines in Fig. 1) against which the upper edge of the hand hole cover 54 will rest when in place, as in Figs. 1. and 4,' but from engagement with which said hand hole cover is capable of being pressed, as shown in Fig. 7. I may also secure this hand hole cover more securely in place by means of one or more pins p passing through holes in the flangef, and which may or may not enter the guard q or other suitable adjacent part of the structure 31. Guards g on the part 31 prevent said cover from being forced back too far, or against the shaft bearing, as is shown in Figs. 4 and 7.

The hand hole cover is provided with a finger grip to enable it to be manipulated, which I prefer to construct as follows: I first punch an oblong hole through the plate forming the hand hole cover, preferably near its upper side. In doing this I cut away the center of tlie metal entirely, but bend the ends e back emma .the edges thereof and rivet it by rivets 1'.

The'previously turned back portions cut out of the plate itself form the ends of said boxlike finger grip, and by this means I am enabled to get a good hold of said hand hole cover for manipulating it, without forming an opening through which the grain might escape from the boot, and do the same very quickly and cheaply.

When it is desired to have access to the interior of the boot, without removing the same, I press in upon the upper portion of the hand hole cover until its upper edge escapes from the stops s, and then (by means of the finger grip formation) lift the same until its lower edge escapes from the fiange f', when said hand hole cover can be easily removed by lowering it until its upper edge passes out below the lower ends of the flange f The guard g, as above stated, prevents the upper edge of the hand hole cover from being pushed in toofar during this operation. Said guard also guides the hand hole cover to position when it is being inserted, which is a mere reversal of the operation just described.

The member 52 of the boot includes the inlet formation, Which is preferably in the form of a circular projecting flange 56, as shown, and a suitable number of bolt holes by means of which an inlet spout leading from the threshing machine can be properly secured thereto.

The bearing structure for the shaft of the wheel on which the elevator chain runs I prefer to make bifurcated, as best shown in Fig. 4. Said structure 61, as before stated, is secured to the part 31 by means of the bolt 42. The under side of said part 31 is provided with projecting flanges a which form a seat for said structure 61, so that it is drawn accurately to place and held to exact position by means of the single bolt. The shaft 62 lies in bearings in the lower end of this bearing structure, and each of the two legs of said structure has a lubricating opening o leading upwardly from the bearing to the top, where it registers with a corresponding hole h in the part 31, and by this construction the bearings are enabled to be lubricated from the outside of the machine without difficulty. The shaft 62 carries the ordinary sprocket wheel 63, over which the ordinary elevator chain runs in the usual manner. The regular direction of travel is indicated by the curved arrow alongside Fig. 8.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,-

1. The combination, in an elevator boot, of two approximately semicircular side members, one of which contains a hand hole, a

rim between the edges thereof, a removable cover for said hand hole, the edges of said hole being provided with fianges between whichsaid cover is adapted to enter, and lugs or stops by Which said cover is kept in place when inserted.

2. The combination, in an elevator boot, of two side members, one of which has a hand hole therein, a cover to said hand hole seated in suitable flanges at the edge thereof, stops for said cover from which said cover will escape when pressed inwardly, and a finger pocket in said cover by means of which it inay be manipulated.

3. The combination, in an elevator, of the legs thereof, a late secured to the lower ends of said legs, a caring structure secured centrally to said plate, and a shell structure independently secured in place surrounding said bearing structure and the mechanism carried thereby and removable and replaceable independently thereof..

4. The combination, in an elevator, of the legs thereof, a plate secured thereto, a boot shell also secured thereto independently -of said plate, and a bearing structure secured centrally to said plate and carrying a shaft in its lower end, the legs of said bearing structure being longitudinally perforated to provide for the supply of a lubricant, and said perforations registering with corresponding perforations in the plate to which said structure is secured, lwhereby the shaft bearings may be lubrioated from the outside.

5. The combination, in an elevator, of the elevator legs, a central plate secured to said legs, a bearing structure secured to said plate, and a boot shell secured to said legs independently of said plate and adapted to be removed and replaced or reversed without disturbing said plate or the mechanism carried thereby.

'6. The combination, in an elevator, of the elevator legs, a bearin structure secured in central position to the Tower ends of said legs, and a boot shell secured to said legs independently of said bearing structure and adapted to be removed and replaced or reversed without disturbing said structure or the mechanism carried thereby.

7. An elevator boot wherein the boot shell is separable from the elevator legs at a point above and free from the elevator mechanism and which is removable, reversible and re-attachable independently of said elevator mechanism.

In witness whereof, I, have hereunto set my hand and seal at Indianapolis, Indiana. this sixth day of September, A. D. one thousand nine hundred and five.

CHESTER BRADFORD.

Witnesses: i

JAMES A. WALsi-r, RUTH WoRTnINGroN. 

